Thumb-drive-sized Computer fits in your pocket.

mind-bomb:

Game developer David Braben creates a USB stick PC for $25








(everything set up and running)

Braben has developed a tiny USB stick PC that has a HDMI port in one end and a USB port on the other. You plug it into a HDMI socket and then connect a keyboard via the USB port giving you a fully functioning machine running a version of Linux. The cost? $25.

this is really neat, and the idea/inspiration behind it is super rad, but as a friend of mine has pointed out, once you include the price of a mouse, keyboard, monitor, and maybe even network peripherals (since there doesn’t appear to be a wired connection, and wireless is doubtful), you’re basically at the price of an OLPC. =

This is a great idea, but I disagree with the premise that, once you add in peripherals and a monitor, this is basically the same price as an OLPC.  I have an OLPC XO-1 and while I think it’s a great little device, it’s not durable enough nor is it as versatile as this thumb-drive-sized PC. Not that the XO was supposed to be versatile. It was really just supposed to be a simple, low-power, low-powered computer that could help Third-World kids learn.

The cool thing with this thumb-drive computer is its versatility.  You can plug it into anything with an HDMI port—a monitor or a TV.  Then you can plug in a $10 keyboard and mouse or whatever you have laying around.  You could stick this thing in your pocket, go to someplace with very limited resources and use whatever was there to get things done.  Or you could use one of those floppy keyboards and a mini-mouse.

Again, the point is: versatility.

Comparing it to the XO also suggests the built-in mismanagement that slowed the XO’s adoption around the world.

OLPC--the non-profit that inspired the world to innovate, has given up on innovation. A sad thing, indeed.

New XO-3 Announced: Just a Marvel Moby Tablet, Re-branded (Yawn)

Posted by Wayan Vota on May 27, 2010


Marvel’s $100 Moby tablet

Back in the day, One Laptop Per Child was innovative with its technology. It came up with a low-cost, durable, Open Source laptop for education when no one else would. And in bringing the XO-1 to market, it changed the technology industry.

That OLPC is now long gone.

In its place, we have a shell of a company. They don’t do software anymore - that’s spun off to Sugar Labs. They don’t do deployments anymore - that’s the country’s responsibility or OLPC Foundation (whatever that is). And now OLPC has just given up on hardware innovation.

via olpcnews.com

Hit up that link for more info about the “new” XO-3.

Back in November of 2005 I blogged for the first time about OLPC and their proposed “$100 laptop” that they wanted to sell to developing nations. Two years later I was among the first in the world to order my own XO-1 laptop, which sadly had doubled in price, but hey, who thought they could really do $100? The point is, I’ve been a fan of the OLPC effort from day 1. However, after getting my XO-1, I discovered a few hardware flaws and found myself underwhelmed by the choices made by the guys behind OLPC and came to the conclusion that they’d lost their way.

The good news is that untold numbers of kids in developing nations have benefited from having access to these computers. The bad news is that all that made OLPC different from any other charity organization (innovation, vision and the belief that technology can make a positive difference) is gone—not because any of those differences didn’t serve them, but because they chose not to embrace those differences.

As Wayan Vota, the guy behind OLPCNews.com, said in the above quoted post: “It is sad news for all of us that remember that original OLPC. The OLPC that could push an industry create a whole new form factor overnight - the netbook.”

It’s true, back in 2005, all that we had that was vaguely netbook-like was the UMPC—which was just a really small laptop with current specs. OLPC had the balls to suggest that computers didn’t need all the bells and whistles to be tools of learning (or even perfectly reasonable tools for any number of things). They were right—so right that an entire new genre of laptop came into being.

Hell, I wonder if we’d even have the iPad if it weren’t for OLPC and their XO-1.

Fixing Your MBR After Ubuntu Overwrites It and more Fun with Installing Ubuntu on Netbooks!

So, I've been trying, for the past month or so, to get Ubuntu running on my two netbooks.  I can run Ubuntu 8.10 on my XO (done with instructions found here: http://www.olpcnews.com/forum/index.php?topic=4053.0 ) but my eee was being a bit harder.  I had somehow, months ago, managed to get a live CD of Xubuntu 7.10 installed onto an SD card.  The thing is, I couldn't get it to install onto another SD card--it just never worked.  Somewhere along the line I managed to get the SD card to think it wasn't a live CD anymore and suddenly I could write to it as though it had been properly installed.  Don't ask me how.  Somewhere around this point I discovered that I could no longer boot into XP.  The eee is my only XP machine and I need the XP part to keep running for various reasons.

However, at that moment, I decided to concentrate on Ubuntu since at least it was running.  I decided to upgrade to 8.04--of course, when I did, I discovered that I had lost my wifi driver.  Rather than trying to learn how to install the driver myself, I decided to stick to what I knew--now I really needed my XP boot again.  After a LOT of digging I learned it was the MBR, the Master Boot Record, that had been rewritten by Ubuntu.  It looked at the boot-device order I had set up in the eee's BIOS and got confused as to where Ubuntu was supposed to be installed.  So, it over wrote the part where the MBR tells the BIOS what OS to load off of which drive and where to look for which OS (yeah, it's confusing).  After even more digging, I found a post at Tuvaq.com (here: http://tuvaq.com/blog/index.php/2008/11/27/installing-ubuntu-8-10-on-a-usb-drive-me ) that explains it how to fix it with ease this way:

When I install Ubuntu 8.10 on a USB HD, it messes up my MBR. You can fix this directly from the Ubuntu terminal. You do not need to use the live CD if your Ubuntu system starts.

You need to install a little program called ms-sys. It will rewrite your Master boot record (http://ms-sys.sourceforge.net/). The ms-sys package you get directly from their site does not install on newer version of Ubuntu (apt-get install ms-sys). You will need to use the debian package http://packages.debian.org/etch/ms-sys

Once ms-sys is installed, you need to figure out on which partition is located Windows

   sudo fdisk-l

this will list the hard drives installed. You are looking for a line with NTFS as system. Something like:

   /dev/sda1 1 9327 74919096 83 NTFS

You need to replace /dev/sda in the following command line with your device Boot (without the number)

   sudo ms-sys -m /dev/sda

that's it! You can refer to the following page for more information:

http://www.arsgeek.com/2008/01/15/how-to-fix-your-windows-mbr-with-an-ubuntu-livecd/

This was the easiest part of this entire process.  This post really made it simple for me.  Hopefully, if you're having the same trouble, it will work this easily for you, too.

At this point, I've largely given up on running Ubuntu on my eee from an SD card.  The eee refuses to see any recently installed live USB stick.  Or maybe it's grub that refuses to see it?  Not sure.  Regardless, I've spent a long time getting it to work and it doesn't work yet, so I'll pass for now.  I may buy an external optical drive and try again, but I'm not sure how soon that will be.

If you have any questions about this or need help installing Ubuntu, check out Ubuntu.org or try IMing me or finding me on Twitter--or post a comment.  I can't promise anything, but I might be able to help.

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Pics of my OLPC XO Running Ubuntu! Wahoo!!

Check it out--a year ago, Linux on the XO was annoying because it needed an external mouse and was a huge pain to install. Thanks to Teapot's instructions over at the OLPCNews.com forum it was largely a breeze. I did have to change "/dev/mmcblk0p1" to "/dev/mmcblk1p1" to get one bit to work, but aside from that, it was pretty straightforward. My only problem now is working in Ubuntu--anyone know how to change the time on the clock? Can't work it out at all.

See and download the full gallery on posterous

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OLPC XO G1G1 (Give 1 Get 1) 2008 Begins Today!

Around this time, back in 2007, you may recall me freaking out about the new XO-1 laptop from OLPC I was waiting for.  OLPC is the name of a non-profit that was created in order to design a laptop computer so cheaply that 3rd World governments would want to buy One Laptop Per Child in their country--get it? OLPC.  Their plan initially was to make a laptop that would cost $100, which they'd then charge $100 for.  I know--zero mark-up, these guys must be COMMIES! ;)

Sadly, they didn't quite make their target price, but $200 for a netbook as full featured, as this thing is, still ain't bad.  Last year, OLPC announced a program called "Give 1 Get 1" or G1G1 and it allowed Americans to buy two OLPC XO laptops--they would get one, and the other would go to a kid in a 3rd-world country.  Pretty cool, huh?  So, naturally, since it was mixing gadgets with philantrhopy (and the XO is a great little piece of hardware) I had to support it. 

Today, the program returns via Amazon.com.  Check out http://amazon.com/xo to order now!

But you may be wondering just what the heck some poor kid in a village is going to do with a laptop?  The answer is easy: learn.

The XO's onboard OS, called SugarOS, comes with a bunch of great educational applications (called "activities") that help kids learn about all sorts of things, from math, to music, to more.  If the village has a single computer with Internet access, every XO in the village can access the same connection and can even share Internet connections amongst each other XO thanks to Mesh networking technology.  Mesh allows each XO to connect and each XO user to share activities to encourage kids to work together (up to a kilometer away!).

But a laptop in the middle of the 3rd World?

The XO has a huge battery lifespan--one charge gives it about twice as long a run as my MacBook gets on it's battery.  Part of this lifespan jump is thanks to the XO's dual mode laptop display which allows you to switch from back-lit-color to straight black & white with just a button-press.  The B&W mode is perfect for outdoor settings.  No moving parts also allows the XO to use less energy.  Its case is durable and practical (it even has a handle) and is generally spill and dust proof.  I know, I have one.

My only gripe about the XO is the OS.  While I understand creating a non-windows, non-Windows-based lappie for kids (we want them to use computers in a positive way), I do feel that the OS limits the kids on how much they can do.  While the laptop's processor surpasses that of my old, 1998 Toshiba Satellite's, I was not able to work on my novel and research on the web simultaneously on the XO.  This is something I did every day for a year-straight on my Satellite.  The good news is that it is possible to run Linux (and even Windows XP--though you wouldn't want to) on the XO.  It alows you to pack a bit more punch and take a bit more advantage of the RAM.  Of course, I say this as a computer-geek-extraordinaire--not as a kid in a third world country.  Speaking of which, 3rd World kids seem to enjoy the XO just fine.

Why not drop $400 and let another kid get one?

http://amazon.com/xo

Or get it at my Amazon store here:

http://astore.amazon.com/thepetecom-20/detail/B001GB87EI

Either way, any computer is going to beat the computer most of these kids are going to get.  Make a difference and own the laptop that invented the netbook.

Posted by email from thepete's posterous

TheXOVlog Episode 3: Testing Video Part 1

Watch as I test out various video clips that I'd normally watch on my iPod or computer. The XO is actually pretty good at playing full motion video. Watch and see!

TheXOVLog: Early Mesh Chat Bug (Fixed)

I'm FINALLY starting to post my videos of me messing around with my XO. Here's the first one--It demonstrates one of the bugs XO users (XOsers?) who got their XOs in December of 2007 had to deal with. On connecting to another XO for chat (or through a simulated Mesh network--xochat.org) the chat activity contained a bug that made the program virtually unusable. While the bug was eventually taken care of, it is a good indicator on how the XO's Sugar operating system was not quite ready for primetime.

XOCal (SoCal) XO Laptop User Group Meetup Pics!

 

So, we had our first meetup here in SoCal of the XOCal (XO Laptop Users) Group and I think it was a success! There were five XO users who made it and he had a good time comparing notes and discussing the strengths and weaknesses (mostly we talked the latter) of the XO laptop. We were able to chat wirelessly between four of us, but the fifth just couldn't get in for some reason. Sadly, it took a good chunk of time to get even that far, though two of us did upgrade to the latest stable build of the SugarOS.

ANYway, above is a picture of all of the XOs. It was pretty cool seeing so many in one place. Sure, we're not the DC group, but hey, we've got to start some place!

Check out more pics from the event at my Flickrset:

http://flickr.com/photos/thepete/sets/72157603761145349/


Thanks to Fricka and everyone else who made it!
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TheVlog: "Waiting for XO" Day 8: THE FINAL CHAPTER!!

FINALLY! MY XO ARRIVES AND IS UNBOXED! Enjoy the XO porn!

This is far from the final chapter--coming soon: "Learning With XO"!!

Oh and I get artsy in this one due to technical issues.

Also, I'm planning to cut together one giant mega documentary chronicling the entire "Waiting for XO" saga by combining every 8 minute episode into one massive 30-minute spectacle!

OK, "spectacle" is probably too strong a word for anyone who is less a gearhead than me. ^_^

TheVlog: Waiting for XO: Day 4, Part 3: Results!

FINALLY!! RESULTS! I found out whether or not my XO is on it's way!! YAY ME!

The end is getting closer!

My XO and His Ancestors

On the way to our terminal at SFO after spending Christmas with the family in NoCal, we spotted this prototype exhibit. TheWife suggested we take some family photos ^_^

Check out other snaps we took in my XO laptop Flickrset:
http://flickr.com/photos/thepete/sets/72157603517252762/

Never heard of the OLPC XO laptop? Check out:
http://laptopgiving.org

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TheVlog 20080115 Waiting for XO day 4 pt2

Here are another 8 minutes of fun documenting me on hold with OLPC trying to find out if my XO laptop has shipped yet. It was a full hour I was on hold with them, so I had to get creative to keep myself entertained. Watch the fun! And don't worry--they pick up before the end of the video. :)

TheVlog: Waiting for XO Day 4 pt1

I shot this back on December 17, 2007 and it documents my "adventures" on hold with OLPC for an hour, trying to work out what was up with my XO delivery. This is just part one, so don't get your hopes up for any answers, but I'll post part 2 tomorrow, assuming Revver doesn't reject it like it did at first with the video below--seems I don't own the rights to the hold music OLPC plays when you call, so that was a concern. I just explained to them that I'm documenting the event of being on hold and the music is part of that event, so it's fair use. I guess these big businesses aren't up on all of the finer details of copyright and fair use law. Good thing I visit EFF.org every so often :)

Fricka's XO shirt!

Hey, here is the other OLPC XO-related T-shirt I got from Fricka's custom shirt store on Cafepress. It's got the colors of my XO's XO. :D

Got an XO? Wanna cool T-shirt like this one? Go buy one because Fricka donates her profits for these shirts to OLPC! Here's the link:

http://www.cafepress.com/…store.aspx

Check out her other T-shirt store here:

http://www.offlinetshirts.com/

And finally here blog is here:

http://www.offlinetshirts.com/blog/

Go Fricka!!
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Been Messing With My XO

So, I haven't been posting much because I've been addicted to tweaking my OLPC--as you can see above, I tweaked the file that tells the XO what XO icons should look like. The default is the XO logo with an outline, rather than the solid, colored XO logo, like the one on the back of the actual XO's display.

Sadly, every time I install an updated OS it seems to erase most of the apps I've installed. I've installed Opera, Comix (a comic reader), FBReader (ebook reader), Flash, and a few other apps three times :\

I've also discovered installing a developer build (an updated but unfinished OS for software developers) stops me from accessing Opera from anywhere but from inside Terminal, which isn't a huge deal but it does require I type the word "opera". SHUDDER!

I've installed Firefox, and while it seems a bit slower than Opera, it does sync up my bookmarks with the install of Firefox on my MacBook, which is very cool.

Flash websites do work in all of the browsers (including the XO's on-board browser, a trimmed down version of Firefox), but not that well, which is sad to me, but since I only use a handful of Flash-based sites (anywhere.fm, wixi.com,jooce.com, Startforce.com), I'll survive. Sites like Youtube and Utterz.com work reasonably well). Mplayer runs a STACK of media formats on the XO. I've played mp3s, mp4s, asfs, movs, flvs, and a few others.

This week, I'll be using the XO as my primary laptop, starting tomorrow with my Saturdaily writer's meeting--4 hours of sitting in a coffee house working on my novel on this tiny keyboard! Wish me luck!

If you're in LA on Saturday and have an XO, why not stop by Groundwork (on the corner of Sunset and Cahuenga) on Saturday around 5pm and we can Mesh!

This concludes my XO update for today!
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Fricka's OLPC Shirt IN ACTION!

Here is one of the shirts I posted about yesterday. It's from Fricka's custom T-shirt shop. Own an XO or want to support OLPC? Go here:

http://www.cafepress.com/…store.aspx

Check out more cool shirts here: http://www.offlinetshirts.com/

And check out Fricka's blog here: http://www.offlinetshirts.com/blog/

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Batman: The Killing Joke on my XO--SWEET!

That is the classic Batman trade paperback--"Batman: The Killing Joke". It's the Frank-Miller-written origin story for the Joker and it's *awesome*. It's particularly cool on my XO. In fact, my Mac's iSight camera doesn't do the XO's display justice at all (jealous much?)--the colors really pop and it's really easy to read, even at the lowest setting.

Oh yeah and I upgraded to developer build joyride-1522 so I have a sleep mode now! WAHOO!

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Custom Nano, Fricka’s shirts & My Book!: Yay!...

Custom Nano, Fricka’s shirts & My Book!: Yay! Everything got here! Wahoo! My custom NaNoWriMo Winner shirt, the two OLPC XO shirts Fricka designed (along with a sticker) and my first novel “TheKey” al arived today. I’m so psyched. Watch for posts showing off what these items actually look like. :) More at Utterz.com

XO Screencap 3: Weee! Isn’t this fun? I’d upload a...

XO Screencap 3: Weee! Isn’t this fun? I’d upload a video shot with my XO, but I can’t work out how to convert OGG to anything without dragging the video onto my Mac—what a drag. Of course, if Utterz could support OGG, that would be so cool!! The cap above shows the homepage for Gnash, the opensource Flash player that comes on the XO. I had such high hopes for this thing but my ignorance of Linux has stopped me from working out how to configure it to play mp4 nd mp3 files. It handled FLash reasonably well, but it’s supposed to do more :( More at Utterz.com

Second XO Screencap: XO screenshot number 2! WAHOO! The above is...

Second XO Screencap: XO screenshot number 2! WAHOO! The above is a cap of my Neighborhood screen slowly populating. The circles are (mostly) wifi networks—I’m connected to the blue one toward the left, just below the middle of the screen. I’m hoping they do something to improve the visibility of the network you’r connected to. A little white circle doesn’t help much. The XOs are other XOs that my machine sees because it is logged into the xochat.org Jabber server. At one point, before my XO had connected to any network at all, I saw three other XOs, so I’m wondering if there are other folks, at UCLA maybe, who have XOs. I live less than a half-mile away from UCLA, after all. More at Utterz.com